DISCOVERING THE ENCHANTMENT OF THE COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY

Nestled among the picturesque hills of the Cotswolds countryside, the Cotswolds Distillery in Stourton stands as a testament to one man’s vision to produce world-class whisky in one of the most beautiful areas of England. Our recent visit to this remarkable distillery left us not only with a newfound appreciation for their superb spirits, but also with a deep respect for the dedication and passion behind every bottle they produce. 

The Cotswolds Distillery story began in 2014, when founder Dan, a New Yorker and whisky connoisseur, moved to the Cotswolds after years in the London finance world. Looking for a quieter life, Dan had a thought as he looked out to fields of golden barley around his new home. “I suddenly thought, there’s barley all over the Cotswolds and nobody’s distilling it, let’s be the first!” And so, with a neglected site near his house and a vision in mind, Dan set about building what would become the Cotswolds Distillery, which officially opened in July 2014. 

Interestingly, the distillery’s first product was gin, initially intended as a limited time offering. However, its popularity cemented it as a permanent fixture. Meanwhile, the team laid down casks for their whisky in 2014, and by October 2017 (whisky needs to mature for a minimum of 3 years to be classed as whisky), their first whisky was ready.

Today, the Cotswolds Distillery has expanded their reach to 40 countries, recently going live in Brazil, and can be found in all UK airports plus over 200 global airports, and on 36 cruise ships. This year alone, they are producing 130,000 litres of pure alcohol, with aims to increase to 200,000 litres next year. A distribution deal with Illva Saronno Holding, which went live in January 2024 has allowed them to supercharge their objectives and to rapidly expand.

We had the pleasure of being shown around the distillery by Rob Patchett, the Cotswolds’ Global Brand Ambassador. Rob joined the business in 2017 and helped bottle the first release of their whisky. He couldn’t have been more helpful throughout the day and is a real testament to the Cotswolds Distillery. His knowledge of the distillery is remarkable, and his knowledge of whisky is even greater – so much so that one of the Cotswolds whisky releases is named after him. ‘The Patchett’ is a single cask that exclusively aged in a Madeira cask.

One of the distillery’s standout features is its commitment to sourcing all barley from single farms within the Cotswolds, this means that the journey from field to bottle is just 197 miles! They use a blend of two yeast strains and a four-day fermentation process, resulting in a unique and high-quality new make spirit.

Additionally, the distillery has made significant strides in sustainability. All waste from the distillery is now sustainably reused, with an innovative ecological site (that was constructed by award winning landscape design artist Rachel White) filtering out impurities and feeding clean water to 1,800 willow trees that were planted by the distillery on the grounds.

Inside the distillery, the ageing process is a slightly different due to the use of reconditioned barns as bonded warehouses, which are not temperature-controlled. This leads to a higher-than-average angels’ share of about 4-5%, but it also means the spirits age slightly faster due to the unique Cotswolds climate.

We couldn’t have toured the distillery on a better day, with the sun blazing we then ate outside at the distillery’s restaurant and enjoyed a low alcohol G&T that uses the distillery’s dry gin essence. Made with ten times the botanical concentration of their Cotswolds dry gin, they can create a G&T that packs all the flavour with 90% less alcohol than a standard serve of their dry gin. 

After lunch we made our way to the tasting room for a private tasting, which was undoubtably the highlight of our day. We sampled ten different whiskies and a rum, each with its own story and character.

The standout for us was the Cotswolds Signature. It had a delightful marmalade note, was easy to drink, and had the perfect ABV for holding oils, which retained its non-chill-filtered, natural elements. As Rob, eloquently put it, “As far as an underdog whisky goes, this is it. It’s like drinking Malbec in the 90s – great price point and a superb drinker.”

Another favourite of ours was the Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky, part of their Cask Expressions Collection. This whisky is a marriage of 15 casks – 5 butts and 10 hogsheads – all a mix of Spanish oak, American oak, Oloroso, and PX. Each batch is unique, rich with dried fruits, chocolate, and a hint of spice. Rob explained that the appeal of the whiskies in their Expressions Collection lies in the understanding and curiosity for whisky, particularly English whisky, making it a fascinating journey for enthusiasts.

Finally, a special mention must go to the Founder’s Choice. This was the Cotswold’s first cask strength release, it used 100% locally grown floor malted barley and aged in Dan the founders’ favourite casks, STR (shaved, toasted, re-charred) American oak red wine barriques. Toffee, red fruits (particularly strawberry) and ginger really exploded on the palate, even though this was a 59.1% whisky the finish was warm and lingering, with notes of mango leaving a lasting impression.

Our visit to the Cotswolds Distillery allowed us to get a true feel for what is going on. From the scenic countryside to the meticulous craftsmanship, every aspect of the distillery reflects a deep passion for producing exceptional spirits. If you ever find yourself in the Cotswolds, a visit to this distillery is an absolute must. You can click here to explore the Cotswold’s spirits that we stock.